Over these two coverings the covering of rams' skins and that of tachash skins were placed, pro bably as Already suggested. The whole would thus present the appearance (if we may use so familiar an illustration) of a large bed, with its curtains hanging down.
Such is the idea which, in the general, has hitherto been entertained of the construction of the tabernacle. Another idea, however, has of late years been suggested which deserves to be noticed. Saalschtitz (Architol. der Hebrlier, 321, fE), re presents the hangings of the tabernacle as sus pended in the form of a tent. He thinks the Petn was properly the space enclosed by the boards of acacia wood ; and that these formed the outer wall, so to speak, within which the tabernacle, the rit.t properly so called, was reared in the form of a peaked tent. Of this the byssus curtains, he supposes, formed the internal dmpery, while the goats-hair curtains, covered with leather and tachash skins, formed the outer covering. The whole struc ture would thus present the appearance externally of a peaked tent, reared within a high palisa.de of wood, and open at the front. This representation has the advantage of allowing the ornamental cur tain, and also the gilded boards with their golden rings and silver sockets, to be fully visible. There seems, however, one fatal objection to it—viz. that it does not provide for fulfilling the condition that the joinings of the curtains shall be over the pillars that separate the holy from the most holy place—a condition of essential significance. This objection cloes not apply, however, to the reconstruction pro posed by Mr. Fergusson (Smith's Diet. of the Bible, art. Temple), who has worked out the idea of a tent structure with his wonted skill and ingenuity ; for, according to his idea, the roof of the tent was ridged not peaked, the covering,s being suspended on a pole running from the foot of the structure to the back. The reader is referred to his article for drawings and details.
Such representations undoubtedly preserve better than the older ones the idea of a tent. It may be suggested, however, on the other side, that as the fundamental idea of the structure was that of a house—God's permanent residence among his people—it is not improbable that the structure was conformed mther to the model of one of the flat-roofed houses with which the Israelites were familiar than to that of a nomad's tent.
It has been objected to the traditional recon struction of the tabernacle that a structure of this sort would not keep the rain from sinking into the interior, and that a heavy fall of snow would lodge a weight on the roof that would soon tear its coverings through. But Josephus seems to have
considered the structure as thus arranged quite sufficient to stand against any meteorological in fluences to which it might be exposed ; and his judgment as a native of that part of the world is of weight in such a matter. Nor need we suppose that any very large amount of skill would be re quired to provide against rain lodging on the roof so as to sink through into the interior. ' As for snow, there was doubtless strength enough in the framework of the roof to enable the coverings to bear such weight of that as there was any likelihood of being deposited on them in the Desert or the south of Palestine.
Within the tabernacle thus constructed were placed the Ark of the Covenant, over which were the cherubim within the bilost Holy place, and in the sanctuary the table for the shewbread on the north side, and opposite to it the golden candle stick. [See these articles.] The tabernacle was placed within an enclosure too cubits long by 50 wide, formed by hangings ot byssus, fastened to pillars by silver hooks and fillets. The height of the pillars was 5 cubits, and their number was to for the west end, and for each of the sides zo ; at the east, or entrance end, there were 3 pillars on each side of the entrance for which a space of 20 cubits was thus left. In this space 4 pillars were placed, and on these hum: a curtain similar to that which was over the dour of the tabernacle. Within this enclosure stood also the altar near to the entrance, and between it and the tabernacle was the laver (Exod. xxvii.) So long as Israel was in the wilderness, the tabernacle formed the central point of their en campment. Around it were grouped the tribes according to a fixed order (Num. ii. 2). From it came the indication which determined whether the host was to rest or to march. So long as the glory of the Lord rested on it, the people knew that they had to remain where they were, but when that arose from it, they knew that the sig,nal , for their removing was given (Exod. xl. 36, 37 ; Num. ix. 17). The tabernacle was then taken to pieces, which were borne by the three Levitic families of Kohath, Gershotn, and Merari [LE vizEs], whilst the Aaronic household took charge ot the covered treasures of the Most Holy place (Num. iv. 6-75).